The moment those words left her mouth, Shaoyao got angry and tried to push Xiangyi away again. But Xiangyi had been prepared this time. There was no way Shaoyao could get the better of her again. Instead, Xiangyi stepped forward and pinned her down.
Shaoyao was utterly astonished. She realized Xiangyi knew moves from Assassin Tower.
"You... How do you know..."
"I watched you do it so many times that I learned. Now I'm going to give you Spiritual Power. Don't struggle, and don't hit me... or I'll strip off your petals one by one and turn you into a grass—person!" Xiangyi threatened her, but still worried Shaoyao might lose control and slap her again, so she restrained both her hands.
Calling it a kiss wouldn't do it justice. It was more like a forced kiss.
Shaoyao didn't dare fight back, so she could only close her eyes and accept her punishment. But the discomfort she expected never came. Xiangyi gave her only a light, fleeting kiss, then channeled Spiritual Power into her. Shaoyao could feel her lost strength returning, and her body was back to normal. She opened her eyes in surprise and saw Xiangyi concentrating with her eyes closed. Not daring to struggle, she let Xiangyi continue.
It was the longest they had ever kissed, yet something seemed to shift in Shaoyao's feelings. She suddenly thought that Xiangyi wasn't so bad after all. At least she wasn't actually interested in her.
Shaoyao began to relax. Just then, Xiangyi suddenly launched an attack.
"Mmm..." Shaoyao jumped in fright and instinctively fought back, but Xiangyi had her completely under control. The moves and techniques were exactly like the ones from Assassin Tower in her memories. But she was certain she had never used them in front of Xiangyi. So the person before her...
While Shaoyao was distracted, Xiangyi sent in the assassin known as her tongue. Shaoyao resisted with all her might, but her body went limp again.
She suddenly became like a crazed beast, displaying tremendous explosive strength. Her movements and gaze made it seem as though she wasn't looking at a Flower Person, but at her prey. Shaoyao was intimidated by her ferocity, unaware that, from her own perspective, Xiangyi was busy grappling with the system.
System: Passive skill Eidetic Memory (SSR) detected. System: Copying Eidetic Memory: 1%. System: Copying Eidetic Memory: 5%.
Unfortunately, the copying process was painfully slow. Xiangyi had no choice but to restrain Shaoyao first, so she wouldn't push her away and cause the copy to fail.
At the same time, Xiangyi hated herself for setting up such a complicated skill-copying mechanic that required a kiss. She could already imagine Shaoyao getting furious afterward, perhaps even refusing to speak to her for a while.
Even so, Eidetic Memory was incredibly important to Xiangyi. Once she got the skill, she could become a walking library and wouldn't have to worry about standing out as someone who didn't belong in this world.
At last, just as they were nearing two minutes of kissing, that wonderful voice finally sounded.
System: Eidetic Memory copied successfully. Congratulations, user, on obtaining your first SSR card. System: 1,000 Spirit Stones awarded to the player.
Xiangyi was a little puzzled by the system's reward. This time, it had given her Spirit Stones instead of Spiritual Power. But that wasn't important now. She looked at Shaoyao with concern, afraid that Shaoyao might kill her over what she'd just done.
But from the moment they parted, Shaoyao had been far too calm. She deliberately put on a stern expression, then said, "You're done kissing, right?"
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Two Aren't Too Many, Right?
Xiangyi was a little dazed, but still nodded instinctively.
"Then I'll be going." Shaoyao stood up to leave the room, but she was still staggering, which made Xiangyi worry and follow after her.
Shaoyao still didn't say a word. Her cold attitude only made Xiangyi more afraid. She would rather Shaoyao lose her temper again than have her treat her like this. Unfortunately, Shaoyao had already walked out, looking as though she'd been violated.
Xiangyi blew out the candle and went outside too, only to be stopped by Hua Nu.
Hua Nu wore a knowing, half-smile as she continued, "I thought the Flower Master would let her go. I didn't realize I'd been so naïve about human nature."
Shaoyao was a very genuine person, so she would never put on an act. From Shaoyao's expression, Hua Nu could tell that something really had happened between her and Xiangyi. She was very pleased.
Xiangyi gave an awkward smile. "I am the Flower Master, after all."
Hua Nu smiled and nodded slightly. "I hope you'll always remember that."
It sounded like a reminder, a warning, and an unseen way of putting pressure on Xiangyi all at once. Whatever it meant, Xiangyi felt the matter had come to an end. She was about to leave when she suddenly noticed Flower God Huangquan watching her from over there.
"Lord Huangquan, are we going to kiss today?" Remembering how Huangquan had gotten a little upset whenever she kept kissing Shaoyao, Xiangyi asked without thinking.
After all, going by their usual routine, they should be having another Little Grass today.
Xiangyi comforted herself with that thought. Huangquan gave her a cool glance and said flatly, "No need."
The embarrassment was enough to make Xiangyi's face burn. She wanted to say she hadn't meant to bully Shaoyao earlier; it had simply been a necessary sacrifice to copy the skill. But she couldn't say that. Just as every Flower Person kept a secret in her heart, Xiangyi had to keep the secret of the system to herself.
She hadn't planned the rest of the story, and she didn't know the fates of the people inside the Flower God Ring. She was even more afraid to place too much trust in anyone.
"Then Xiangyi will take her leave. If Lord Huangquan wants to, ahem, just ask Hua Nu to let me know." Xiangyi sounded even more embarrassed, but she believed that the thicker her skin, the longer she'd survive.
Huangquan nodded slightly, then looked down at the book in her hands.
Xiangyi turned around and created a door in the space, then walked through it. When she appeared again, she was back in the restroom.
A day in the outside world was equivalent to a month inside the Flower God Ring. Although she'd spent quite a while inside, only a few minutes had passed outside. She pretended to have used the restroom, straightened her clothes, and walked out.
When she looked over, Shuxuan had taken the opportunity to change into pajamas. They were quite mature-looking, with lace along the hem, and framed her lovely face.
If Shuxuan's looks were worth 85 points without any preparation, then now, after changing out of her immaculate work clothes and letting her hair down, her femininity had brought her up to a score of 90.
At this level, she was as dazzling as a movie star. Put simply, Shuxuan was very beautiful by ordinary standards. But among Flower People, her looks were nothing special.
Xiangyi glanced at her and looked away, then sat beside her. The TV had switched from the news to some channel's romance drama.
"Oh, it's already ten." Xiangyi found Shuxuan's taste odd. She checked the time and realized why such a strange program was on.
The plotlines were all the same, though the faces of the actors were no longer those of people Xiangyi recognized from Earth.
Xiangyi felt a little wistful, while Shuxuan seemed absorbed in the show. If Xiangyi hadn't told her to go take a shower, Shuxuan probably wouldn't have wanted to.
Thinking about it, Xiangyi felt a little closer to Shuxuan.
At twenty-four, she was at the perfect age to yearn for romance. If Xiangyi made a move, she might be able to get two kisses from Shuxuan in these few short days.
That thought immediately lifted Xiangyi's spirits. Her purpose in this world was to grow strong enough to survive, and Flower People could help her in many ways. So she had no choice but to set her sights on the women around her.
Once she'd settled on the plan for the evening, Xiangyi took out her phone and started searching for information about movies.
Which movies had the most kissing scenes?
Which movies made you want to kiss someone?
A huge number of results appeared on her phone, and Xiangyi was overwhelmed. Thanks to Eidetic Memory, she immediately memorized them all and started searching like crazy.
Paid, and more paid. Apparently, the basic rules of watching TV were the same as on Earth: you had to pay. But Xiangyi was relieved to see that the TV now had age-restricted channels—and there was plenty of content that couldn't be shown openly. Naturally, those channels were paid too.
Xiangyi was curious, but no matter what she tried, she couldn't unlock the TV's paywall. It told her she had to wait another year before she was eligible to access that channel.
Xiangyi felt a little dejected. She was just wondering if she should search for a horror movie or something, when a message suddenly popped up on her phone.
Private message from Muning: Xiangyi, is that you?
The message clearly said Muning's name, leaving Xiangyi a little dazed. Should she say that the old Xiangyi had been as straightforward as her and saved everyone's full names in her contacts, or be glad that she hadn't done anything fancy, making it easy to tell who was messaging her?
Private message to Muning: Yeah.
Private message from Muning: Really? What's our secret signal?
But after seeing the school beauty Muning's next message, Xiangyi felt that Muning was being smart at the wrong time. She wasn't really Xiangyi, so how could she know what secret signal the original Xiangyi and Muning had shared?
So Xiangyi simply started a video call. The other end seemed startled, but after several seconds, Muning finally answered.
Muning's figure appeared on the screen. She seemed to have lost quite a bit of weight lately and looked more haggard, but her eyes still sparkled. The moment she saw that it really was Xiangyi, she burst into happy tears.
"Xiangyi, it really is you."
Xiangyi smiled and nodded. "Yeah. You've gotten clever, girl."
Muning smiled a little sheepishly. "I was too careless before. I won't do it again... Have you gotten out of Baichi Sanatorium?"
Muning asked the last part very cautiously, afraid of upsetting Xiangyi.
But Xiangyi didn't mind. "Of course I have. Otherwise, how could I be talking to you on the phone?"
Muning smiled too, but her smile contained so much that the video didn't show clearly. For a moment, Xiangyi couldn't tell what emotions lay beneath it.
After she said that, the two of them simply gazed at each other in silence. Xiangyi looked at Muning's lips and suddenly remembered kissing her.
"Um..."
"I wanted to say..."
They spoke at the same time again. It was strangely awkward, considering they were just friends having a video call.
It felt as if the moment they thought of that one-minute kiss, neither of them could think straight. Muning's reaction was stronger. When she moved without thinking, Xiangyi caught a glimpse of her bare skin.
Remembering that Muning was still living with her older brother, Ye Fan, Xiangyi reminded her, "Stay calm, or your brother will come barging in."
Muning gave a startled sound. As soon as she finished speaking, someone knocked on the door, and Ye Fan's voice came from outside.
"Muning, are you having another nightmare?" Ye Fan knocked on the door, his voice anxious. His words also revealed why Muning was in this state.
For a character in a novel, this might have been something that passed in a single chapter. But for a living, real person, it would cast a shadow over her entire life. It might even make Muning afraid of men in the future, or worse.
As the author who'd written this melodramatic plot, Xiangyi genuinely felt sorry for the girl.
"N-no, it's just that I got in touch with Xiangyi. I'm a little excited, so I was loud." Muning hurried to explain, her face turning red first. She felt terribly embarrassed by her girlish reaction.
Xiangyi smiled at the screen as she listened to them talking.
"Oh, so Xiangyi's out? Should we meet up for a meal? After all..." Before Ye Fan could finish, Xiangyi realized the sound had suddenly been muted. Judging from his lips, Ye Fan might be planning to take Muning to Heaven City for refuge too.
Even though Prince Qin had been turned into a vegetable by Xiangyi, the Qin family was bound to go after these innocent siblings if they investigated carefully. Because of that, Ye Fan and Muning would follow the story to the next place.
But Muning clearly didn't want Xiangyi to know about it. That showed just how kind she'd been made to be. Kind, pure, and saintly, but not a pushover—a classic white-lotus heroine. As the first Flower Person Xiangyi had encountered, she was also the easiest to fool.
Of course, because of the difference between men and women, Xiangyi's original plan had been to awaken the Top-tier Flower Person in Muning much later. But things were different now. Thanks to the advantage of being a woman, Xiangyi was sure she could get the Top-tier Flower Person just by meeting Muning.
Ye Fan and Muning exchanged a few more words, and at last Xiangyi could hear what they were saying again.
"Sorry, Xiangyi. My brother thought something had happened to me." Muning smiled again, but the sorrow in her eyes was impossible to hide.
"It's okay." Faced with her like this, Xiangyi pretended not to notice. She hadn't needed to, but then it occurred to her that a goodbye could be another way to set up a plot.
If she used their impending separation as an excuse to kiss Muning again, then this one-time Flower Person would be of no use to her for the time being. As long as Muning didn't keep hanging around her with the Flower God Ring, her days ahead could be peaceful and ordinary.
Once she'd made up her mind, Xiangyi wondered how to get Muning to invite her out. Even though she was Xiangyi now, she wasn't completely the original Xiangyi. She didn't know the places Muning liked to go or what she liked to do with her.
Worst of all, she didn't know this city well at all, so inviting Muning herself would be a bad idea.
"By the way, are you free these next few days?" After Xiangyi had tried hard to steer the conversation, Muning finally worked up the courage to bring it up.
Xiangyi controlled her excitement and smiled as she answered, "Of course. What's up? Planning to treat me to a meal?"
Muning nodded. "Yeah. I want to cook for you myself. Look at you—you lost weight at the sanatorium."
She pretended to frown, though she didn't realize that Muning had gotten awfully thin too.
"Let me think... How about tomorrow? Where should we meet? I've been cooped up in there, so I want to wander around too." Xiangyi dropped another hint, hoping Muning would pick somewhere public. Then she could just take a cab and wouldn't have to worry about the awkwardness of getting lost.
"Then let's go to Dolphin Pedestrian Street. We'll meet there at ten tomorrow morning." Muning seemed interested as soon as she heard they'd be going out. She smiled and gave her the location. Xiangyi immediately agreed, already planning to look up the route to Dolphin Pedestrian Street so she wouldn't get lost tomorrow.
After they'd arranged their date, Xiangyi made an excuse to end the call, but Muning stopped her.
"Xiangyi."
"What is it?"
"Nothing. I just suddenly wanted to say your name." Muning suddenly said something rather strange, and her eyes did hold a hint of something more. But the feeling passed too quickly for Xiangyi to understand it. She'd read books about psychology and microexpressions for her writing, but in practice, she still couldn't read them that precisely.
But tomorrow would be different. Once she got Muning's second kiss, her current disadvantage would change.
That thought improved Xiangyi's mood. She kept messaging Muning, talking about what they would eat tomorrow. Without seeing each other's faces or being on a video call, both of them felt much more at ease.
Xiangyi preferred communicating by text. It gave her time to think carefully about every word she sent, so she wouldn't reveal that she wasn't the original Xiangyi.
While they were in this relaxed state, Shuxuan came back from her shower. Seeing Xiangyi hugging her phone and smiling, she asked with interest, "Boyfriend?"
Xiangyi shook her head. She also wanted to test Shuxuan's reaction, so she added, "Girlfriend."
Shuxuan's expression didn't change. She seemed to think Xiangyi was joking. There was no doubt that Shuxuan was straight, the sort who wouldn't catch on unless someone said it outright.
But Xiangyi had a bigger fish on the line—Muning. She decided to put her plans to win Shuxuan over on hold and started planning what kind of mishap she could arrange for tomorrow's date to make Muning want to kiss her—and for a full three minutes.
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